The lost again shall be found
To find it one boy is bound
Who shoot Golden Eagle as a token
His footsteps shall be taken
To the destined place
Within the maze
The fate of all
Will unfurl in the Emerald Hall.
“That’s why I shot at your friend… But the arrow went astray anyway…” He
spoke gravely.
“Well… I don’t think you’ve failed your quest so soon. It says ‘shoot’ only, not ‘shoot down’;
and after all, he did fly towards where the maze is…”
“What? You mean you know where the maze is?” Wanderer nearly bounced up in excitement.
“Everyone here knows about the maze,” Astari began to whisper in hushed tone, “it’s actually
a set of giant, grotesque rocks that looks like a maze, whether it is human’s or nature’s doing is
unknown to us, and it’s said that…a great secret lies in its heart. Then, travellers and explorers
started venturing there…they never came back.” Her voice became even smaller, “Father and
Mother were in there too. So now I’ve only got Golden Eagle.” Hints of tears glistened in her eyes.
But the melancholy was always brief on her countenance. She got up and went around the
shed, stuffing water bags, dried fruits and meat, fur clothes…all into a huge hessian pack while
Wanderer watched her confusedly. “We should follow Golden Eagle at all speed, I think he’s still
flying south.”
“…We?” Wanderer asked wide-eyed,” I’m not letting you go in this peril, you’re only…
what? Twelve?”
“Seventeen!” She exclaimed outrageously, “And it’s perilous for you if you didn’t have a local
around, I know the way. And I won’t let this chance slip away, I’ve always wished I could go out
there…” She gazed at the horizon under the early morning light, where the eagle had gone.
So they went.
Went out to the wilderness of the wilderness, for both of them had turned their back to home.
There was no shelter for them now, not even the little shed at the mercy of the sands.
The snowstorm did come. The wind did howl. The sands did slap. The icy snow did bite. But
they were not turning back. They had no turning back.
The snow and hail blinded their eyes, they could not see anymore. No light, no hope. Only
darkness and doubts.
Astari’s feet gave way and she fell. Her hands tried to hold on, to clutch something.
Anything.
She did.
She fumbled with it. It was something furry… A feather. She willed her eyes open. At first
there was only painful snow and sand, but she caught a glimpse of what she was holding through
her squinted eyes. A light brown feather, almost having a golden sheen.
“Wanderer! Hey! Look here!” She shouted desperately not being able to discern the young man
against the blinding white around her. “We’re on the right track! Golden Eagle left a feather for us
not one day before, he’s leading us there!”
